Improvement in machines for re-pressing bricks



Patented May 20.1873.

Witnesses. J

. Q UZ/L AM FHOTU-LITHUERAPHIC co. N.1.(0$BORNE$ mums) UNITED STATESPATENT OFFICE.

JOHN K. CALDWELL, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

IMPROVEMENT lN MACHINES FOR RE-PRESSING BRICKS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 139,113, dated May 20,1873 application filed August 3, 1572.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN K. CALDWELL, of the city and county ofPhiladelphia and State of Pennsyl vania, haveinven ted Improve ments inMachine for lie-Pressing Brick, of which the following is aspecification:

The object of my invention is the rapid and effective pressing of bricksby machinery, and this object I attain by the machine which I will nowproceed to describe.

The molds A are arranged radially on a wheel, B, to which anintermittent rotating motion is imparted by any suitable mechanism. Inthe present instance the desired motion is imparted by a cam or arm, D,on the drivingshaft E, the arm, as it rotates, strikingin succession asmany pendent pins g on the disk as there are molds. The mold wheel ordisk turns on a central shaft or rod, E, which can slide vertically, butcannot turn in a stand, Gr, secured to the base H. This rod F isconnected at the top by a cross-bar, I, to a rod, F, which is guidedwithin a stand, J, secured to the base H. The lower ends of both rods Fand F are slotted, so that the horizontal driving-shaft can pass freelythrough them, and both rods are simultaneously raised by cams K on thesaid driving-shafts, and simultaneously depressed by cams L on the sameshaft. Each mold A consists of a box lined with steel plates, and openabove and below, and containsaslidingtollower, a, attached to a rod, 1),which is guided by a hanger, d, secured to the under side of themold-wheel, the lower end of the rod resting on an annular rib, M,secured to the base H, and arranged, by inclinations on its upper edge,to control the vertical position of the rods and followers. To. theunder side of the cross-bar I is hung a platen, N, between which and thecross-bar intervene two or more springs, c c. There are in the presentinstance twelve molds on the wheel, and the inclinations of the annularrib M are such that never less than four of the molds are in acondition, owing to the depression of the followers, to receive thecrude bricks to be pressed, and never less than four molds, with theirfollowers, elevated, so as to permit the withdrawal of the pressedbricks. By this arrangement ample time is afforded to the attendants forfeeding the molds and re moving the bricks after they are pressed. Atone point the continuity of the stationary rib M is interrupted for thereception and movement of a cam, P, on the driving-shaft, as shown inFigure 3; or the rib may be slotted for the reception of the cam withoutinterrupting its continuity. The moment one of the molds, containing acrude, impressed brick, is brought above this driving-shaft,it becomesstationary, owing to the discontinuation of the movement of themold-wheel, and no sooner has the mold become stationary than thecross-bar I descends, and with it the platen N, which adjusts itself tothe top of the mold, after which the cam P, acting on the lower end ofthe rod, raises the latter, and with it the follower, which compressesthe crude brick against the platen N. After the desired pressure hasbeen completed, the platen is at once elevated by theactionv of the camsL L, and remains elevated until its services are again required forresisting the pressure in another mold, which, by another movement ofthe mold-wheel, has been brought beneath the platen, during whichmovement the follower of the mold in which the brick was pressed iselevated, owing to the lower end of the rod 1) of its followertraversing an inclined plane of the annular rib M, and this elevation ofthe follower necessarily forces the pressed brick from the mold. Thefollower remains elevated during about one-fourth of the revolution ofthe mold-wheel, so as to afford time for the removal of the pressedbrick, after which, owing to another inclination of the annular rib M,the follower descends much lower than the point necessary for the moldto receive a crude brick, and remains in this depressed condition duringone of the intervals which elapse between the movements of the wheel,after which the follower descends again to a position in the moldrequisite for determining the proper depth of the same, and the properthickness of the pressed brick. The mold is now ready to receive a crudebrick, and remains in this condition during one-third or more of arevolution of the mold-wheel, so that ample time is afforded to theattendant to introduce crude bricks into the mold. The object of thisabrupt depression and elevation of each mold at one point during onerevolution of the mold-wheehwill'be best understood by reference to theview, Fig. 4, which illustrates one end of the steel lining of the mold,and shows the follower depressed to its lowest point. Both side and endplates of the molds are beveled at the lower ends, so that when thefollower is depressed, as shown, there is an opening, m, at each cornerof the mold, through which any refuse matter maybe quickly dischargedduring the delay in the movement of the wheel which occurs while thefollower is thus depressed. In each space between the molds I propose toplace a brush or wiper, n, Fig. 3, which, as the mold-wheel traverses,will come in contact with the under side of the plat-en N, and wipe orbrush therefrom any foreign matter which may adhere to the said platen.

Clams. 1. The combination, with the horizontal mold-wheel, of thecross-bar and platen, the followers carried by said wheel, and thedriving-shaft or equivalent mechanism, suchshaft operating the disk,bar, and followers, all as set forth.

2. The combination, with the horizontal mold-wheel, of the reciprocatingcross-bar, secured to verticallarmshl tFl, one of which extends throughthe center of the disk and forms the axis thereof, as described.

3. The combination, with the reciprocating platen, of stationary brushes01, arranged upon the wheel so as to pass beneath and in contact withthe platen as the wheel revolves.

4. The combination of the followers with molds the sides of which arereduced in width, as described, so as to present openings when thefollowers are depressed.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

JOHN K. CALDWELL.

Witnesses:

WM. A. STEEL, HARRY W. DOUTY.

